Written Answers Thursday 28 May 2009

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been employed in agriculture in each year since 1997, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Richard Lochhead: The following tables detail the number of workers employed in agriculture in Scotland by parliamentary constituency.

  Business Partners, Occupiers, their Spouses and Family Members are not Included

  

 
 2008
 2007
 2006
 2005
 2004
 2003


 Aberdeen North
 23
 21
 23
 30
 32
 37


 Aberdeen South
 94
 78
 81
 84
 49
 50


 Airdrie and Shotts
 57
 55
 68
 87
 99
 99


 Angus
 1,572
 1,743
 1,078
 1,121
 968
 860


 Argyll and Bute 
 517
 535
 573
 606
 606
 668


 Ayr
 76
 103
 95
 110
 112
 111


 Banff and Buchan
 431
 507
 571
 465
 481
 486


 Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
 410
 394
 420
 425
 397
 405


 Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley
 388
 381
 388
 436
 427
 458


 Central Fife
 64
 94
 77
 49
 49
 55


 Clydebank and Milngavie
 18
 14
 14
 18
 15
 17


 Clydesdale
 380
 404
 412
 416
 404
 409


 Coatbridge and Chryston
 13
 14
 15
 13
 14
 21


 Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
 *
 69
 64
 64
 21
 21


 Cunninghame North
 134
 155
 136
 124
 113
 121


 Cunninghame South
 45
 59
 47
 45
 45
 48


 Dumbarton
 128
 128
 104
 110
 109
 107


 Dumfries
 540
 574
 584
 562
 555
 577


 Dunfermline East
 112
 104
 119
 88
 73
 85


 Dunfermline West
 79
 73
 65
 65
 63
 69


 East Kilbride
 85
 97
 94
 90
 82
 90


 East Lothian
 658
 664
 636
 653
 671
 728


 Eastwood
 25
 35
 38
 38
 37
 40


 Edinburgh Pentlands
 15
 13
 26
 22
 25
 22


 Edinburgh West
 123
 120
 126
 78
 83
 81


 Falkirk East
 36
 49
 47
 47
 57
 63


 Falkirk West
 59
 49
 56
 50
 51
 58


 Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
 1,215
 1,281
 1,293
 1,302
 1,316
 1,317


 Gordon
 713
 871
 928
 912
 922
 972


 Hamilton South
 27
 24
 25
 31
 31
 30


 Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
 491
 417
 495
 480
 447
 487


 Kilmarnock and Loudoun
 207
 180
 156
 199
 222
 230


 Kirkcaldy
 82
 89
 56
 23
 *
 *


 Linlithgow
 47
 57
 101
 98
 98
 91


 Livingston
 134
 135
 157
 118
 147
 155


 Midlothian
 193
 198
 228
 249
 271
 244


 Moray
 350
 396
 444
 427
 392
 408


 North East Fife
 898
 850
 735
 645
 691
 723


 North Tayside
 1,989
 1,846
 1,161
 1,416
 1,293
 1,169


 Ochil
 190
 195
 191
 202
 211
 206


 Orkney
 186
 216
 241
 251
 253
 253


 Perth
 966
 924
 844
 860
 876
 837


 Ross, Skye and Inverness West
 467
 488
 516
 597
 604
 615


 Roxburgh and Berwickshire
 790
 1,007
 1,004
 898
 1,012
 1,045


 Shetland
 96
 87
 101
 88
 93
 90


 Stirling
 352
 251
 284
 281
 285
 300


 Strathkelvin and Bearsden
 35
 31
 25
 25
 29
 25


 Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale
 601
 639
 637
 624
 632
 620


 West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
 720
 607
 535
 531
 621
 618


 West Renfrewshire
 73
 75
 79
 102
 99
 94


 Western Isles
 106
 120
 133
 139
 133
 154


 All Scotland
 17,101
 17,561
 16,380
 16,454
 16,578
 16,719



  Source: Agricultural and Horticultural Census 1997-2008.

  Notes:

  Cells marked * have been withheld to protect the confidentiality of census respondents.

  Estimates for other constituencies are not available.

  Includes hired full-time and part-time labour, plus casual and seasonal labour.

  Business Partners, Occupiers, their Spouses and Family Members Working on Holdings have been Excluded

  

 
 2002
 2001
 2000
 1999
 1998
 1997


 Aberdeen North
 44
 42
 45
 45
 52
 63


 Aberdeen South
 54
 55
 67
 90
 67
 82


 Airdrie and Shotts
 127
 111
 102
 108
 125
 123


 Angus
 781
 675
 823
 688
 693
 700


 Argyll and Bute 
 638
 637
 664
 639
 647
 634


 Ayr
 103
 101
 118
 135
 136
 146


 Banff and Buchan
 493
 483
 529
 563
 571
 631


 Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
 400
 434
 463
 469
 545
 480


 Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley
 453
 452
 475
 491
 485
 482


 Central Fife
 44
 48
 64
 44
 49
 56


 Clydebank and Milngavie
 18
 19
 19
 24
 22
 26


 Clydesdale
 467
 485
 509
 490
 542
 558


 Coatbridge and Chryston
 21
 21
 19
 18
 15
 21


 Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
 20
 20
 21
 20
 21
 27


 Cunninghame North
 120
 120
 132
 121
 130
 162


 Cunninghame South
 43
 47
 49
 51
 50
 36


 Dumbarton
 77
 73
 86
 96
 96
 92


 Dumfries
 595
 672
 690
 724
 733
 790


 Dunfermline East
 138
 138
 80
 103
 105
 98


 Dunfermline West
 82
 92
 103
 101
 111
 106


 East Kilbride
 85
 90
 82
 78
 72
 76


 East Lothian
 740
 704
 662
 675
 659
 623


 Eastwood
 44
 48
 47
 39
 40
 37


 Edinburgh Pentlands
 25
 30
 27
 33
 35
 35


 Edinburgh West
 105
 102
 103
 109
 116
 117


 Falkirk East
 74
 70
 63
 75
 66
 81


 Falkirk West
 48
 47
 53
 55
 58
 59


 Galloway and Upper Nithsdale
 1,316
 1,382
 1,373
 1,508
 1,595
 1,694


 Gordon
 993
 997
 1,013
 1,000
 1,175
 1,257


 Hamilton South
 35
 34
 34
 34
 33
 38


 Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
 496
 527
 517
 466
 426
 410


 Kilmarnock and Loudoun
 212
 220
 202
 201
 208
 214


 Kirkcaldy
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Linlithgow
 87
 107
 82
 100
 117
 106


 Livingston
 162
 171
 174
 159
 181
 186


 Midlothian
 269
 266
 294
 266
 284
 270


 Moray
 409
 407
 447
 409
 440
 419


 North East Fife
 676
 653
 653
 647
 654
 670


 North Tayside
 1,153
 1,207
 1,224
 1,108
 1,157
 1,119


 Ochil
 212
 228
 241
 248
 270
 266


 Orkney
 260
 280
 289
 289
 294
 300


 Perth
 747
 625
 720
 671
 658
 567


 Ross, Skye and Inverness West
 624
 649
 526
 496
 536
 559


 Roxburgh and Berwickshire
 1,093
 1,117
 1,109
 1,100
 1,151
 1,162


 Shetland
 110
 118
 123
 124
 138
 136


 Stirling
 305
 346
 365
 395
 370
 370


 Strathkelvin and Bearsden
 27
 32
 35
 48
 44
 48


 Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale
 665
 612
 612
 614
 795
 742


 West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine
 608
 626
 660
 707
 706
 724


 West Renfrewshire
 135
 150
 143
 200
 179
 197


 Western Isles
 164
 153
 153
 123
 121
 107


 All Scotland
 16,843
 16,970
 17,337
 17,265
 18,034
 18,163



  Source: Agricultural and Horticultural Census 1997-2008.

  Notes:

  Cells marked * have been withheld to protect the confidentiality of census respondents.

  Estimates for other constituencies are not available.

  Includes hired full-time and part-time labour, plus casual and seasonal labour.

  Business partners, occupiers, their spouses and family members working on holdings have been excluded.

Agriculture

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many single farm payments are outstanding from 2005 to 2008 and during that time period what proportion were settled after the date on which they were due to be paid.

Richard Lochhead: All claims under the Single Farm Payment Scheme (SFPS) are paid once the statutory eligibility and validation checks, including physical inspections as appropriate, have been completed. It follows that any claims remaining unpaid are because we are unable to confirm eligibility or in some cases, we are in dispute with the business concerned about its eligibility: consequently, there are no eligible claims outstanding for the years 2005 to 2007 (for the position on 2008 see below).

  The Single Farm Payment Scheme (SFPS) was introduced in 2005 and unlike some of the traditional schemes, does not provide for a date by which payments must be made. The European Commission provided for a "payment window" that opens on 1 December and closes on 30 June each year. In order to answer the second part of the question, we have calculated the proportions of payments made after 30 June in each of the scheme years concerned:

  2005 – 11.8% of all businesses received a final settlement of their SFPS claim after 30 June 2006. In monetary terms, this equated to 3.4% of scheme expenditure.

  2006 – 2.28% of all businesses received a final settlement of their SFPS claim after 30 June 2007. In monetary terms, this equated to 0.5% of scheme expenditure.

  2007 – 0.4% of all businesses received a final settlement of their SFPS claim after 30 June 2008. In monetary terms, this equated to 0.2% of scheme expenditure.

  As far as the 2008 scheme year is concerned, we are still within the payment window for settlement of eligible claims but, in terms of payment performance to date, 99.8% of producers have been paid a total of around £442 million.

Antisocial Behaviour

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will modify by order section 7 of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 to ensure that antisocial behaviour notices on landlords can be used in relation to holiday lets.

Alex Neil: We do not consider it to be necessary to modify the provisions, since the existing powers to deal with nuisance are sufficient. Local authorities have powers to deal with antisocial behaviour in holiday lets, including on the spot fines and seizure of noise-making equipment.

Cancer

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve services and treatment for people with lymphoedema.

Nicola Sturgeon: We expect NHS boards to implement, through local protocols, the relevant Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) Guidelines. The Guidelines on the Management of Cervical Cancer (99), the Management of Breast Cancer (84) and the Care of Patients with Chronic Leg Ulcers (26) cover aspects of lymphoedema and its treatment.

  The British Lymphology Society (BLS) has published a Best Practice document on the Management of Lymphoedema. A consultation to assess the document’s applicability to Scotland showed strong support for its adoption here, and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland is currently considering, with the network of Scottish Lymphoedema Practitioners, how best to take this forward.

  We have also set up a working group to develop a clinical pathway for the surgical management of chronic lymphoedema. This is intended to include clear referral criteria, clinical pathways and protocols, and provide equitable access to surgical management across Scotland. The group is expected to report by autumn 2009.

  Better Cancer Care outlines a range of commitments on supporting people who develop lymphoedema as a side effect of their cancer treatment.

Cancer

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop a national strategy for people with lymphoedema.

Nicola Sturgeon: We are clear that there should be equity of access to lymphoedema services across the country. The British Lymphology Society’s Best Practice document offers a good opportunity to share best practice at a national level.

  Lymphoedema is also covered by our national strategies Better Cancer Care and Living and Dying Well as well as our work on long term conditions management. We expect all of these help to improve the services and support available for people with lymphoedema.

Enterprise

Bill Wilson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware that "load reduction" letters announcing proposals to reduce employee numbers have been issued to Rolls-Royce plc workers at Inchinnan in Renfrewshire.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is aware that following Rolls-Royce’s announcement on 30 January, that it was entering into a 90 day period of consultation - with a view to making 145 of its Inchinnan-based staff redundant - letters were issued to around 800 Inchinnan employees informing them of the risk to their jobs.

  The company’s work with the trade union to mitigate the impact on as many of these employees as possible will see around 120 roles reduced through exiting agency workers, voluntary redundancy applications and the creation of an adult apprenticeship scheme. This will leave approximately 25 roles leaving the business through compulsory redundancy.

  A further letter was issued by the company in May, to advise the remaining employees from the 800 originally contacted, that the company would have to move to a compulsory redundancy situation.

Enterprise

Bill Wilson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what grants it has provided to Rolls-Royce plc and what information it has on any grants provided by the UK Government in relation to the Rolls-Royce facilities at Hillington or the new base at Inchinnan and what conditions relating to employment were associated with any such grants.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has provided the following grants to Rolls-Royce:

  Regional Selective Assistance (RSA)

  The RSA grants that have been provided to Rolls-Royce in Hillington/Inchinnan and East Kilbride since the mid 1990s:

  Hillington/Inchinnan

  In 2005, the company accepted an offer of £650,000 towards a £7 million expansion project that aimed to create 40 new jobs. The company has received all of the grant which, under the terms of the grant agreement, is in conditions* until July 2011.

  In 2002, the company was offered an RSA grant of £15 million towards a £44 million project to relocate its operations from Hillington to Inchinnan. The project would safeguard 900 jobs. This grant has been paid in full and is in conditions* until December 2011.

  The company also accepted two offers of RSA in 1996 totalling just over £8 million for projects at Hillington. The projects involved capital expenditure of over £28 million and led to the creation of 85 new jobs and the safeguarding of 570. The grants were paid in full and are out of conditions*.

  East Kilbride

  In March 2008, the company accepted an RSA offer of £845,000 towards a £5.6 million expansion project that aims to create 86 new jobs and safeguard a further 43. To date, none of the grant has been paid.

  In 1994 it accepted an RSA grant of £1.4 million towards a £8.5 million project that would safeguard 134 jobs. This grant was paid in full and is out of conditions*, the company having met its obligations under the terms of the grant agreement.

  Note: *Conditions of grant agreements mean that companies must maintain project jobs and assets for a specific period of time following completion of the project.

  Research and Development (R&D) Grant

  In January 2007, Rolls-Royce (Inchinnan) accepted an R&D grant from Scottish Enterprise of £447,000 as part of a £1.475 million investment creating 10 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs. The company has received all of the grant which, under the terms of the grant agreement is in conditions** until April 2010.

  Note: **Conditions: FTE employee target means the continuous employment by the company at the project premises of, on average, not less than 10 FTE employees for a period of 18 months beginning on the project completion date (31 October 2008). If the company fails to achieve this target, Scottish Enterprise is entitled to demand and receive repayment from Rolls-Royce of a proportion of the grant related to preset formulas laid out in the offer agreement based on number of jobs achieved.

  The Scottish Government is not aware of the details of any UK Government grant support given to Rolls-Royce. However, we are aware that Rolls-Royce is considering how R&D support schemes from both the Scottish and UK governments might be accessed to support and grow its R&D activities.

Equalities

Michael McMahon (Hamilton North and Bellshill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all NHS boards have submitted equality impact assessments.

Nicola Sturgeon: There is no specific requirement for NHS boards to submit their Equality Impact Assessments. Boards are required under the three equality duties for races, gender and disability to undertake equality impact assessments of all new and revised policies, strategies, functions or changes and to place them in the public domain.

  The Equality and Human Rights Commission is responsible for monitoring the level, quality and impact of public sector Equality Impact Assessments.

Fisheries

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been employed in the fishing industry in each year since 1997, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Richard Lochhead: Figures for the number of fishermen employed are not available by Scottish parliamentary constituency.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards the establishment and delivery of the no-take zone for fisheries in Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran that was announced in January 2008.

Richard Lochhead: Lamlash Bay Community Marine Reserve (no-take zone (NTZ)) was put in place in September 2008. This was done by means of the Inshore Fishing (Prohibition on Fishing) (Lamlash Bay) (Scotland) Order 2008 which came into force on 20 September 2008.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards the establishment and delivery of the fisheries management area in Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran that was announced in January 2008.

Richard Lochhead: As is the case with the Community Marine Reserve (no-take zone (NTZ)), the intention was and remains that the fisheries management area should be considered and implemented through a process in which key stakeholders are involved, and through which consensus is achieved.

  Given this, and bearing in mind that the issues raised relate predominantly to fishing, there is a need to ask the newly established Clyde Inshore Fisheries Group (IFG) to become involved together with COAST and other organisations already at the table. It is anticipated that proposed measures in Lamlash Bay will be given early consideration by the IFG and progress on the matter is expected soon.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what publicity, education and infrastructure measures have been delivered to ensure that the location and boundaries of the no-take zone for fisheries in Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran are clear to people using the (a) waters of and (b) coast surrounding the bay.

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what publicity, education and infrastructure measures have been introduced to ensure that people using the waters in and around Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran are aware of the restrictions on what can be done (a) on and in the waters of and (b) from the coast surrounding the bay.

Richard Lochhead: The Lamlash Bay Implementation Group was set up in January 2009 to develop publicity and educational material in and around Lamlash Bay in order to implement the Lamlash Bay Community Marine Reserve (no-take zone (NTZ)). It is expected that the first phase of interpretation panels will be completed soon.

  Following a meeting held in Lamlash on 13 November 2008 between Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST), the Scottish Government and Strathclyde Marine Policing Unit to discuss the NTZ, it was agreed that the Marine Policing Unit would distribute around 500 leaflets produced by COAST relating to the no-take zone in the Strathclyde area.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what publicity, education and infrastructure measures have been delivered to ensure that the location and boundaries of the fisheries management area in Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran are clear to people using the (a) waters of and (b) coast surrounding the bay.

Richard Lochhead: At present the fisheries management area in Lamlash Bay does not exist.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what management and enforcement measures have been introduced to ensure that people using the waters in and around Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran do so within the law.

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what management and enforcement measures have been introduced to discourage people from using the waters in and around Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran illegally and to penalise them if they do.

Richard Lochhead: Lamlash Bay Community Marine Reserve (no-take zone (NTZ)) was put in place in September 2008. This was done by means of the Inshore Fishing (Prohibition on Fishing) (Lamlash Bay) (Scotland) Order 2008 which came into force on 20 September 2008. By virtue of Section 4 of the Inshore Fishing (Scotland) Act 1984, any person who contravenes a prohibition contained in this Order shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine of up to £5,000 and on conviction on indictment to an unlimited fine.

  As part of surveillance measures undertaken by Marine Scotland Compliance regarding the no-take zone, a geo fence has been set up around the NTZ. The "fence" surrounds the NTZ at a distance of approximately two miles. Any Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) equipped fishing vessel entering this area will automatically commence sending VMS positions at an increased frequency of 10 minutes (additional transmission costs are borne by Marine Monitoring Centre (MMC)). The alarm generates an email to the MMC operational address.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what information regarding the no-take zone and fisheries management area in Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran has been supplied to the operators of scallop dredgers; in what formats, and when.

Richard Lochhead: All interested parties, including Fishermen’s Associations, have been given full details of the Order. The Order is also available on the Marine Scotland Compliance website and the Scottish Government website. No details have been given regarding a fisheries management area.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what limitations on scallop dredging are in place in the (a) no-take zone and (b) fisheries management area in Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran.

Richard Lochhead: (a) All fishing within the no-take zone is prohibited. Scallop dredging is, therefore, not permitted within the zone.

  (b) The proposed fisheries management area in Lamlash Bay has yet to be established. The bay is, however, within the Firth of Clyde and within 6 miles of the Scottish Coast, and, as such, the following measures apply.

  Inshore Fishing Scotland Act 1984 (as Amended) by 226/2004:

  If the vessel is greater than 21.34 m it may only fish in the Firth of Clyde (as defined) for herring, mackerel and sprats.

  From midnight on Friday to midnight on Sunday no vessels may fish with mobile gear (scallop dredge is mobile) within the Firth of Clyde (as defined).

  The Prohibition of Fishing for Scallops (Scotland) Order 371/2003:

  A vessel is deemed to have been fishing for scallops if the catch retained on board includes at least 20% scallops.

  Fishing for King Scallops by a Scottish fishing boat or by any relevant British fishing boat by means of scallop dredge is prohibited in Scottish inshore waters (i.e. inside 6 miles from baselines which includes Lamlash Bay) where more than eight dredged are towed from each side of the boat.

Health

Christopher Harvie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what advances have been made in the treatment of and research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy in Scotland in the last 12 months.

Shona Robison: Better integration of specialist services has made a major contribution to the significant improvement in life expectancy of people with muscular dystrophy over recent years. We therefore support the efforts of the Scottish Muscle Network in supporting teams of clinicians in the five specialist centres in Scotland to work with the voluntary sector to further improve care for these people.

  The network also promotes families’ participation in large-scale clinical trials, through mechanism such as its support for the UK-wide Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Register. The register gives families direct access to information and entry to studies, at both UK and international level.

  I am raising the issue of services for people with neuromuscular conditions at my meeting with NHS board chairs next month.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the variation in prescribing burprenorphine or suboxine across NHS boards reflects patient choice or NHS board choice.

Fergus Ewing: The decision on what drugs to prescribe for opiate addiction is taken by clinicians in consultation with their patient.

Health

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken or guidance it has issued to NHS boards and local authorities with regard to ending the practice of reverse or Dutch auctions for the purpose of inviting tenders for social care services and what the reasons are for its policy in this matter.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government issued guidance on social care procurement in August 2008 in which we urged contracting authorities to exercise extreme caution when considering the appropriateness of an e-auction as part of the evaluation process for social care contracts. The guidance was circulated to stakeholders via a Scottish Procurement Policy Note and published on the Scottish Government’s website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/116601/0065310.pdf .

  Although the use of e-auctions is permitted under public procurement legislation, we believe that their application to the procurement of social care services could send the wrong signal about the appropriate balance between quality and price.

  We recognise that there is a need to set out in more detail the options available to local authorities and identify best practice. The Joint Improvement Team is working with key stakeholders to disseminate further advice on good practice options available to local authorities in autumn 2009.

Health

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it routinely records the parental status of people identified as requiring treatment for drug or alcohol abuse.

Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Drug Misuse Database collects data on new patients/clients who attend a service for assessment of drug misuse problems.

  Patients/clients are asked to report if they have dependent children under the age of 16 years. This information is recorded in Annex A1.3 SMR25a Form, page 58 of Drug Misuse Statistics Scotland 2008 (http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/08dmss/08dmss.pdf), ISD Publications, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47392).

  There is no equivalent collection of data for people identified as requiring treatment for alcohol misuse. However, current estimates suggest that approximately 65,000 children may be affected by parental alcohol misuse.

Health

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many adults undergoing drug or alcohol treatment are parents.

Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Drug Misuse Database collects data on new patients/clients who attend a service for assessment of drug misuse problems.

  The information requested is given in table A1.40 page 48 of Drug Misuse Statistics Scotland 2008 (http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/08dmss/08dmss.pdf), ISD Publications, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 47392). A third of new patients in 2007-08 reported that they had dependent children under the age of 16 years (4,154 out of a total of 12,562 patients).

  There are no equivalent figures available on the numbers of parents in treatment for alcohol problems. However current estimates suggest that approximately 65,000 children may be affected by parental alcohol misuse. Our Framework for Action sets out a number of actions to tackle the harm caused by alcohol misuse, both to excessive drinkers themselves and to people around drinkers, including immediate family and children.

Health

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scotland has a national drug treatment monitoring system similar to that in place in England.

Fergus Ewing: The monitoring system in Scotland operates in a different way to that in England.

  The Scottish Drug Misuse Database collects data on new patients/clients who attend a service for assessment of drug misuse problems. An enhanced system, introduced April 2006, is being rolled out and will enable the monitoring of clients and treatments received (Drug Misuse Statistics Scotland 2008 http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/08dmss/08dmss.pdf).

  The National Drug Treatment Monitoring System in England (NDTMS http://www.ndtms.net/) collects data on patients/clients who present to services that provide treatment for drug users.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be a review of the clinical governance arrangements in place across NHS Grampian by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and, if so, whether the outcome of the review will be published.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) is reviewing the performance of every NHS board in Scotland against their standards for clinical governance and risk management. NHS Grampian will be reviewed by NHS QIS on 9 July 2009. All NHS QIS reports are published and made available on their website.

Health

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which hospitals operate a cook-chill process for inpatient food.

Nicola Sturgeon: The NHSScotland hospitals which operate a cook-chill process for inpatient food are listed below by NHS board area:

  

 NHS Grampian
 Operates cook-chill service to community hospitals only.


 NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Operates cook-chill service to provide meals to Inverclyde Royal, Royal Alexander and Dykebar Hospitals.Operates a cook-freeze service to the Local Forensic Psychiatric Unit, Glasgow Royal Gartnavel Royal, Southern General, Parkhead, Leverndale hospitals and Victoria Infirmary.


 NHS Highland
 Operates a cook-freeze service to Rothesay Hospital.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ribotype samples were sent to the national reference laboratory by NHS Grampian in relation to the outbreak of Clostridium difficile at Dr Gray’s Hospital in April and May 2009.

Nicola Sturgeon: A total of 13 isolates were sent to the National Reference Laboratory for typing.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients (a) were affected and (b) subsequently died of Clostridium difficile during the outbreak at Dr Gray’s Hospital in April and May 2009 and for what reasons NHS Grampian provided two different positions in relation to the outbreak when asked by journalists on 13 May 2009.

Nicola Sturgeon: Eighteen patients have been affected by the Clostridium difficile outbreak in Dr Gray’s Hospital. In answer to (b), NHS Grampian released a statement on 13 May 2009 confirming that one patient had Clostridium difficile recorded on the death certificate as the primary cause of death. NHS Grampian then further confirmed to journalists that one other patient had died during the outbreak where Clostridium difficile was recorded as one of a number of other contributory factors in the cause of death.

  NHS Grampian did not mention the death of this second patient in its initial statement because it took the view that, as the second patient did not die directly of Clostridium difficile, it was not appropriate to report this death in its statement.

  I expect all NHS boards to supply full and accurate data to media enquiries.

Housing

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in the provision of affordable housing in the north east.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has in 2009-10 announced £36.273 million to support the start on site this year of 256 affordable homes in the four council areas in the north east constituency.

  In addition we awarded £850,000 to help with the council house new build programme in Aberdeenshire which will deliver 34 new council homes. And we have invited all four councils in the north east region to apply for a share of the remaining £8.1 million available this year.

  The Open Market Shared Equity Pilot is also available across the north east area with an estimated budget of around £4.5 million this year.

Housing

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has of any adverse financial impact on individuals and couples arising from problems in relation to missives for new-build properties.

Alex Neil: Both MSPs and members of the public have highlighted a number of financial difficulties that people are experiencing when purchasing new homes. (These include having to sell their existing property in a much less favourable market than would previously have been the case, and having to buy a home at a pre-arranged price which is in excess of the current market value.)

  Scottish Government officials have raised these issues with Homes for Scotland, as part of our regular programme of engagement with the industry. The Scottish Government has also provided input into the Office of Fair Trading Report on home-building. The report concluded that homebuyers need more protection when buying a new home and called for consumer protection issues to be addressed through a new code of conduct developed by the home building industry. We are pressing for a quick and effective implementation of the new code. If this fails, there should be immediate further intervention in the form of a statutory redress mechanism. As consumer protection is generally reserved to the UK Government, we would work closely with them on this issue.

Housing

David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-23444 by Alex Neil on 12 May 2009, what the maximum monetary discount under the modernised right to buy would be if it were indexed by reference to the rise in house prices, not the retail price index.

Alex Neil: Although Scottish ministers do have powers to vary modernised right to buy discount entitlements in certain circumstances, no clear power exists to allow indexation.

  Under the modernised right to buy the maximum discount is 35% of the market value of the property or £15,000, whichever is less. Had the £15,000 cap been indexed to the CLG (Communities and Local Government) house price index for Scotland when the modernised right to buy came into force on 30 September 2002, the maximum monetary discount would be £28,626.49 as at September 2008.

Housing

David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what index or indices it uses to analyse movements in house prices.

Alex Neil: Each data source on house prices has a unique view of the market, with different strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, the Scottish Government analyses house prices by considering a wide array of data sources. Scottish house price data that the Scottish Government analyses include the quarterly data from Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS), Nationwide Building Society and Lloyds TSB Scotland. The Scottish Government also analyses data from Communities and Local Government (CLG) and Registers of Scotland which have more widespread market coverage, and the benefit of being available on both a quarterly and monthly basis.

Justice

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review local courts.

Kenny MacAskill: Scottish Court Service is currently consulting on proposals for unification of the administration of summary criminal courts in the Sheriffdom of North Strathclyde. Following the decision of the Justice Committee to vote down our proposals for court reorganisation in South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway, SCS will consider those further.

Justice

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) longest and (b) shortest sentence has been for anyone convicted of (i) drug dealing, (ii) possession of drugs, (iii) drug trafficking, (iv) employing others to deal in drugs and (v) living off immoral earnings in the Lothians region in each of the last five years.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table. Employing persons to deal in drugs is not identifiable separately from the data held on the Scottish Government Court Proceedings database. There were no persons receiving a custodial sentence in Lothians region for living off immoral earnings (offences include brothel keeping and immoral traffic).

  Minimum and Maximum Custodial Sentences for Drug Offences1 in Lothians Region2, 2003-04 to 2007-08

  

Drugs offences
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08


(i)Supply, possession with intent to supply etc of drugs 
 
 
 
 
 


Minimum sentence (days)
30
30
61
28
27


Maximum sentences (days)
1,552
1,826
1,461
1,824
1,461


(ii)Possession of drugs 
 
 
 
 
 


Minimum sentence (days)
20
15
30
20
10


Maximum sentences (days)
821
274
486
365
486


(iii)Drug Trafficking3
 
 
 
 
 


Minimum sentence (days)
30
30
45
28
27


Maximum sentences (days)
1,552
1,826
1,461
1,824
1,461



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Taken to include the local authority areas East Lothian, Edinburgh City, Midlothian and West Lothian. Incorporates an approximate mapping of sheriff courts into local authority areas. Some sheriff courts will deal with cases from more than one local authority area. Midlothian does not contain a sheriff court.

  3. Includes the crime categories "illegal importation of drugs", "manufacture or cultivation of drugs", "supply, possession with intent to supply etc of drugs" and "other drugs offences".

Mental Health

Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will improve the provision of mental health services.

Shona Robison: We will continue to deliver on our challenging national performance targets, supported by a range of other activity, designed to improve and modernise the provision of mental health services and ensure that quality, integrated mental health services are available for all who need them.

  This service-improvement agenda is a key part of our partnership approach to improving the mental health and wellbeing of the people of Scotland, focussed on mental health promotion, prevention and recovery.

Mental Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the use of eligibility criteria for community care services by local authorities to determine access to services designed to promote the wellbeing of individuals who have or have had a mental illness is compatible with sections 25 to 31 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Shona Robison: Local authorities have a duty to meet the statutory requirements of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 but may do so in a variety of ways.

  Eligibility criteria may refer to the allocation of some resources but would never exclude access to resources such as assessment, advice and guidance. Responses to Section 26 will often include these as well as support to access other main stream services.

Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that its guidance document, With Inclusion in Mind, published in November 2007 is used by local authorities in implementing sections 25 to 31 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Shona Robison: Since publication of With Inclusion in Mind, the Scottish Government has provided additional funding to local authorities in 2007-08 and in 2008-09 to support them in developing responses to the guidance. A conference was held in the autumn of 2008 to share best practice and further encourage and support this work. The funding support and conference will be repeated in 2009-10.

Ministerial Visits

Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken as a result of the findings of the Minister for Community Safety’s autumn tour of Scotland during which he met key stakeholders from the drugs field.

Fergus Ewing: A year on from the publication of Scotland’s first drugs strategy since devolution, I am pleased to have the opportunity to inform Parliament of the work that is being taken forward following my Autumn Tour of Scotland (available in Scottish Parliaments Information Centre (SPICe), Bib. number 45687). Between October and December of last year I was fortunate to visit Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Angus, Aberdeen, Forth Valley, Edinburgh, Dundee, West Dunbartonshire, Highlands and Glasgow. By the end of June 2009, my officials will have visited all 23 strategic areas across Scotland. I wish to record my thanks to the local teams, service users and providers who met with me and government officials to help inform our understanding of the delivery of drugs services in Scotland and the great work taking place across the country to help those with a substance misuse problem recover.

  In the first instance, I was pleased by the wide-spread support for the Scottish Government Drugs Strategy Road to Recovery, which puts the concept of recovery at the heart of tackling substance misuse in Scotland, which was clear in my visits across the country. I had the opportunity to hear first hand about the key challenges and issues our partners face in delivering effective services for the people of Scotland. I heard about the importance of breaking the cycle of problem drug misuse within families and the need for a wide range of services, from peer support to both community and residential rehabilitation, to adequately reflect the wide-ranging needs of people affected by drug misuse. The importance of engaging service users in the development of policies and services is key, and this was emphasised to me, as was the need to continue to improve the quality of those services already in place.

  People need to be able to access the services they need, when they need them. In an on-going effort to reduce of waiting times for drugs services we are working with NHS boards and other partners to develop a HEAT target for access to drugs services within the NHS performance management arrangements. The new target will be binding from April 2010. Funding was also raised as an issue. It is essential that the drugs strategy is underpinned by investment, and we are continuing to provide resources to NHS boards to tackle drugs and alcohol misuse and to support the work of the new Alcohol and Drugs Partnerships. Indeed, I was delighted to announce on 20 January 2009, an increase of 13.5% in 2009-10 for drugs treatment and rehabilitation.

  The key message was that now we have the right strategy in place, our efforts should now be focused on delivery. That is something with which we agreed and on 20 April we held a national alcohol and drugs delivery summit where, along with COSLA, we published a new framework for action on alcohol and drugs (available in SPICe, Bib. number 48211). This framework directly addresses the need for greater clarity of the roles, responsibilities and lines of accountability between partners as called for not only during my Autumn Tour, but in a variety of expert reports. At the summit I was delighted to be able to showcase some of the best practice which I had learnt about in the course of my Autumn Tour. Attendees were able to hear from a variety of partners about local best-practice including successes in engaging service users and GPs in the effective delivery of services. The promotion and dissemination of best practice across the field is an essential part of taking the strategy forward successfully and is a key reason why we are recruiting a team of National Support Coordinators. This team will be dedicated to helping local partners and partnerships meet the challenges presented by the new framework.

  I was pleased to announce at the national delivery summit that we will be establishing a Drugs Strategy Delivery Commission, which will have a clear remit of overseeing the successful implementation of the drugs strategy. I will be announcing more details of the new body shortly. To complement the work of the Delivery Commission, the government will meet the commitment set out in the Drugs Strategy to establish a Scottish Drugs Recovery Network. This new body, set up as a charitable trust funded in the first instance by government, will have as its role to advocate, catalyse and lobby for recovery to be the mainstay of drug services. As was called for in the Autumn Tour, the trust will promote service users’ involvement in strategic policy decisions and provide a powerful new presence, advocating for recovery, in the public domain. It will aim to harness the excellent work being done by so many bodies and organisations across Scotland, and, to do this most effectively, will be established as the Scottish Drugs Recovery Consortium. Again, I will announce further details of this body in due course.

  We have also published today a Progress Report which details more fully our progress in implementing the Road to Recovery drugs strategy over the last year (available in SPICe, Bib. number 48212). This Report covers progress around strands of the strategy I have not covered here, including prevention, enforcement and Children Affected by Parental Substance Misuse (CAPSM).

  There remain real challenges ahead to deliver the strategy – it will not happen overnight – but we are committed to continuing to work with all our partners to turn recovery into a reality.

Multiple Sclerosis

Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the potential benefits of vitamin D supplements as a preventative measure against the occurrence of multiple sclerosis.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is aware that research has been carried out in relation to vitamin D and multiple sclerosis. We recognise the importance of vitamin D in a number of health issues.

  Additionally, the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) has recently funded two research projects into MS, totalling £262,000. These projects are based at University of Glasgow and University of Stirling.

NHS Staff

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many allied health professionals there were in NHS Tayside in (a) arts therapy, (b) dietetics, (c) occupational therapy, (d) orthoptics, (e) orthotics, (f) podiatry, (g) prosthetics, (h) speech and language therapy and (i) radiography in each of the last two years for which information is available, expressed as headcount and as full-time equivalent.

Nicola Sturgeon: The numbers of allied health professionals in NHS Tayside in (a) arts therapy, (b) dietetics, (c) occupational therapy, (d) orthoptics, (e) orthotics, (f) podiatry, (g) prosthetics, (h) speech and language therapy and (i) radiography in each of the last two years are provided in the following tables:

  Table 1. Number (head count) of NHSScotland Allied Health Professions as at 30 September, NHS Tayside

  

 
 2007
 2008


 Arts therapy
 4
 4


 Dietetics
 60
 58


 Occupational therapy
 248
 245


 Orthoptics
 10
 8


 Orthotics
 17
 20


 Podiatry
 75
 71


 Prosthetics
 1
 1


 Speech and language therapy
 86
 89


 Radiography
 229
 237



  Source: Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland.

  Table 2. Number (Whole-Time Equivalent) of NHSScotland Allied Health Professions as at 30 September, NHS Tayside

  

 
 2007
 2008


 Arts therapy
 3.0
 3.0


 Dietetics
 49.8
 48.7


 Occupational therapy
 205.2
 201.4


 Orthoptics
 8.8
 7.1


 Orthotics
 15.2
 18.2


 Podiatry
 56.5
 53.4


 Prosthetics
 1.0
 1.0


 Speech and language therapy
 71.1
 74.0


 Radiography
 192.8
 201.8



  Source: Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland.

Public Transport

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will help to improve bus services in the Livingston parliamentary constituency.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government is publishing a range of guidance documents, such as statutory Quality Partnerships and Bus Punctuality Improvement Partnerships which we hope will help the development and promotion of bus improvement best practice throughout Scotland.

Renewable Energy

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a review has been carried out of wind farm applications rejected due to aviation issues.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is managing this issue with the stakeholders and has in fact been involved in an on-going review of decisions and technical developments since this administration came to office.

Rural Development

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications to the Rural Priorities scheme have been received in each month since its inception.

Richard Lochhead: Rural Priorities opened for expressions of interest (Statements of Intent) in April 2008. The number of expressions of interest received each month is shown in the following table.

  Applications are counted from the first submission of an expression of interest although the majority of these have now moved on to final applications (Proposals).

  These figures exclude any applications which have subsequently been withdrawn.

  

 April 2008
 259


 May 2008
 360


 June 2008
 610


 July 2008
 754


 August 2008
 636


 September 2008
 622


 October 2008
 647


 November 2008
 394


 December 2008
 475


 January 2009
 312


 February 2009
 226


 March 2009
 334


 April 2009
 253


 Total
 5,882